Ode to a virus

All schools, universities, etc. have been closed in KSA for well over a week. Silver lining: less traffic near schools especially around the time I get out of work (which seems to coincide with when schools let out.) Dark cloud: more kids out and about especially in stores and malls.

KSA was one of the first to ban international travel going as far as forcing the cancellation of all Umrah pilgrims worldwide - really put a squeeze on the clearing houses/travel agents that set these things up. Then KSA closed the borders and banned international flights not only to the obvious places like Italy and China but local countries as well. Last week the cancelled all flights to the EU & Switzerland (this left the UK as one of the only flight options.) Yesterday all international travel to or from KSA has been stopped. Yup, we're quarantined. 

They have also closed all gyms, movie theaters (yup, there are a few), no major gatherings. I think even some malls have been closed but I haven't been able to verify that. There were quite a few people (much more than usual) in the local Danube grocery store but all the shelves were well stocked. However, they did not have dill pickles nor dry roast peanuts, harrumph.

Yesterday at work the Major met with all of us that were in the office and basically told everyone (in Arabic) that if anyone had the C-19 symptoms they would be given 2 weeks off that wouldn't count against their vacation. w00t! Always the pragmatist, yours truly, suspects that if even one person on our compound tests positive that we will be put under mandatory quarantine. How much you want to make a one riyal bet?

On the compound, all gatherings and events have been canceled. The gym, cardio & weight rooms have been closed. Our main company is mandating that all whose jobs can be done remotely (with supervisor approval) must be done remotely, i.e. from home. The immediate effect this has directly had on me is that when my boss's boss held an "urgent all-hands" meeting at 8:30 a.m. PDT via Skype that I could not log in since all the VPN lines were tied up by everyone else in the U.S. using those same lines. Managed to phone it in using my work cell phone but still...

Looking on the bright side, I've booked my flights back for a two week visit during the last half of May. That was a bit of a pain since my card got declined twice and I had to call USAA and get them to clear the charge. It was difficult but not insurmountable - phone call, confirmation code via text to my phone, resubmit via the web, wade through the confirmation through the USAA app on my phone, finally (notwithstanding the additional emotional stress and complexity) success. Beer and bacon here I come. (I hope Tony's is still open, since the owner died recently.)